The Angels’ managerial search is over, as the club announced that they’ve hired Kurt Suzuki as their new bench boss. The former MLB catcher had been a special assistant in the Halos’ front office. It’s only a one-year contract, though the Angels announced that the deal has multiple option years.
Suzuki was one of multiple former Angels players who was linked to the managerial vacancy. Albert Pujols emerged as the initial candidate for the job and was seen as the favorite, before news broke yesterday that Pujols wouldn’t be the hire. As per reports from both Heyman and The Athletic’s Sam Blum, Pujols and the Angels couldn’t line up on a contract, as well as on “coaches and resources,” in Heyman’s words. Longtime Angels outfielder Torii Hunter was another candidate for the job but he also fell out of race yesterday.
Other names linked to the search included candidates with past experience managing at the big league level, including Rocco Baldelli, Brandon Hyde, and Los Angeles’ own third base coach (and former Astros skipper) Bo Porter. It isn’t known if the Halos actually spoke with any of these speculative candidates, or if the team was impressed enough by what they heard from Suzuki that they went ahead and made the hire.
Like Pujols and Hunter, Suzuki has no experience managing or coaching at the Major League or minor league levels. Since his retirement following the 2022 season, Suzuki moved into his role as a special assistant to Angels GM Perry Minasian. This wasn’t Suzuki’s only foray into a managerial search, however, as the Giants interviewed him about their own dugout vacancy earlier this month. (It would appear that San Francisco is instead going with University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello for that job, though a deal between the two sides isn’t yet finalized.)
The 42-year-old Suzuki becomes the latest in a long line of ex-catchers to become MLB managers, and the Angels’ pick continues a more recent trend towards teams hiring fairly recently retired players without much or any of a managerial or coaching background. The Guardians’ Stephen Vogt is perhaps the most prominent example of this, as Vogt retired after the 2022 season, and then spent a year on the Mariners’ coaching staff before Cleveland tabbed him as Terry Francona’s replacement.
In regards to the Angels, Suzuki’s hire is a departure from the organization’s preference towards experienced managers under Arte Moreno’s ownership. Mike Scioscia was inherited as the skipper when Moreno bought the team in 2003 and Scioscia continued managing through the 2018 season. From there, the Halos hired Brad Ausmus and Joe Maddon as their next two skippers, before Maddon was fired partway through the 2022 campaign and replaced by interim manager Phil Nevin (who had never managed a big league club). Nevin remained in charge through 2023 before he too was let go, and longtime former Rangers manager Ron Washington was brought on board in advance of the 2024 campaign.
Washington’s own tenure was cut short by health reasons, as he went on a leave of absence this past June to recover from quadruple bypass surgery. Bench coach Ray Montgomery took over managerial duties for the remainder of this season, and while Washington hoped to return to the job in 2026, the Angels instead decided to go in an entirely new direction by hiring another manager.
The fact that Suzuki will be the seventh different person to manage the Angels within a nine-year span speaks to the difficult challenge facing Suzuki in his new job. Los Angeles has posted losing records in each of the last 10 seasons, and has been to the playoffs just once in their last 16 seasons. A number of ill-advised signings, lack of farm system help, and a general sense of instability has plagued the franchise, with Moreno’s heavy-handed interference in baseball operations often cited as the reason for the team’s lack of success. Minasian has been the general manager since November 2020 and is under contract through 2026, but he is also the Angels’ fifth GM under Moreno (Bill Stoneman had separate stints as the full-time GM and as an interim GM).
Suzuki naturally has an idea of what he’s getting into, having worked in the Halos’ front office for three years and spending his final two seasons as a player with the team. The Hawaii native’s ties to the Anaheim area date back to his college days as a player with Cal State Fullerton, and his playing career began as a second-round pick for the Athletics in the 2004 draft. Suzuki suited up for five different teams over his 16-year playing career, which was highlighted by an All-Star appearance with the Twins in 2014 and a World Series ring with the Nationals in 2019.
With the Angels’ position now filled, there are still seven other teams on the hunt for new managers in 2026. The Giants, Padres, Orioles, Braves, Twins, Nationals, and Rockies all need new skippers, though Colorado will first be hiring a new top front office executive before turning its attention to a managerial search.
Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported the Suzuki hiring. Sam Blum of The Athletic reported that it was a one-year deal. Photo courtesy of David Banks – Imagn Images
Well, another catcher turned manager with no management experience . That’s a bold move, Arte. Let’s see how plays out.
Bold move? I like it, but Arte always goes cheap! Sell the team🤦♂️
you know what’s the crazy part? When the Anaheim Angels, then just known as the California Angels I think, won the World Series in 2002, They were partially owned by the Walt Disney Company.
Did I hear that right? Only a one year deal.
Suzuki never hit for the cycle.
Why does this matter?
@Gobraves88 i wondered if it was intended to be a joke about Joe Torre, but shrug
It’s a joke based on the fact that Kurt shares a surname with a motorcycle manufacturer.
Gobraves, No worries it took me a minute to get, but after realizing the joke, it’s pretty creative.
It’s not a joke if you have to explain it
Sure it is. People don’t have the same mindset all the time. Yet maybe they want to know what the joke is about? No problem there. Still makes it very funny.
Does he tip over if he rounds the bases too fast?
AhhRox, no but his training wheels will make this a very slow going at first…
But the angels recycle managers.
Bengie Molina hit for the cycle.
Ha! Very cerebral good fellow.
The key part is he was a special assistant to the GM so they hired the current favorite manager type of front offices: a yes man with past baseball experience who can read excel sheets and do whatever the front office wants. Most of these teams don’t want good managers they want men they can puppet.
Plus they save $ as they likely won’t replace his old position with the team.
Plus he’ll work cheap which Pujols & Torii wouldn’t have.
I was wondering about that when negotiations broke down with Pujols. Does he even need the money anyway?
Arte doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt. He’s screwed things up for 20 years. Let’s hope for the best as Suzuki is a solid guy but not proven as a solid manager.
Releasing Rendon should be the next organizational step.
I don’t know about a bold move. A good manager can get you 3-5 wins per year. That amount doesn’t do much for this team. Hopefully, he can improve O’Hoppe defensively.
I would say it more of a bold risk by Suzuki. Taking a first managerial job with the Angels, a team that hasn’t doesn’t done much to inspire hope in over 10 years.
Great for Kurt! He will be a good manager. The Minnesota Twins could have used him as well, but this is a better opportunity for Kurt! Thanks for your contributions to the Minnesota Twins over the years, Mr. Suzuki!
This is a better opportunity? I’d rather have the Twins job in that division with all the young players they now have. Whomever gets the job will have a very long leash with time to grow with the club.
Torii Hunter would be a great fit for the Twins. I hope they go after him.
Torii Hunter can stay far far away
The Angels arent a better opportunity than anywhere save maybe Colorado as long as Arte owns the team. The Pohlads may be cheap, and the twins are rebuilding, but at least there is a chance the rebuild is successful.
I had a Suzuki SX4 once… nice little car but it kept overheating… now they ain’t sold in the US no more. I guess their motorcycles are good, tho.
Good thing Kurt decided to step away from the family biz and pursue a career in America’s Pastime. Good luck, Kurt!!
As a family name, “Suzuki” is basically the “Johnson” of Japan.
Yes, there is a Japanese born manager in Los Angeles. He’s up the I-5.
And Smith is more common than Johnson!
Sato, Suzuki, Tanaka, Watanabe in Japan
Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown in the US.
You are saying that they are still sold. Hope you realize that.
no, I needed the grammar police to tell me that. You sound like fun…
Should be a fun hire if nothing else.
Should be an exciting ride !!
The Angels got their man.
With Shohei Ohtani out of reach, they’ve turned to another familiar face—Kurt Suzuki is officially the new manager. He may not throw 100 or hit moonshots, but he knows this clubhouse, this fanbase, and what it means to wear Halo red.
Now it’s on management to back him up. No more half-measures. Build a talented, competitive roster for 2026—because Suzuki deserves a real shot, and the fans deserve a team worth believing in.
Somehow Arte manages to ‘eff up the process of hiring a manager as he does almost everything else, but still ends up with a former catcher in the seat…always the smartest and best-looking players in the game of baseball. Now he has to hire one as GM and he might even figure out a way to compete for the playoffs again at some point.
Carver. This team, In spite of extremely high draft picks, keeps taking backward steps.
One position was in the to 20 in WAR. ONE! Our relief pitching is awful, Our starting pitching is awful. Our minor league system is awful.
But nice weather.
Am glad the angels lose so often just because of their stupid name.
That name is one of the oldest names in baseball. I think it goes back to 1908.
believeitornot: “Am glad the angels lose so often just because of their stupid name.”
Because the name is Angels? Are you evil!?
Because of the LA….of Anahiem? Then pretty much the whole world (except Arte) agrees with you.
They dropped “of Anaheim” years ago.
Yes, the Los Angeles Angels were a thing when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn
One problem with that argument. Almost all of their young players just finished their second full season or less. That’s not getting any team a ring. That’s a rebuild. When a team is rebuilding, we should only expect what we’ve gotten the last two seasons. Young teams that contend are often among the teams with the most 4-6 year players. That’s the window to look for.
They don’t really have many young players. Neto is easily the best of them, and has four good years left. Schanual has 4 years left, but is kind of mediocre for a 1B. Adell finally got some consistent ABs, but now only has two years left. And Moore hasn’t shown anything yet.
On the pitching side, only Soriano is young and has decent numbers.
They are rebuilding whether you call it that or not.
Other than Neto, which one of these players is good?
One position finished above 20th in fWAR.
It’s all Carpino. He’s Wormtongue. It’s “Weekend At Arte’s”. He’s been seen in public just a handful of times over the last few years.
He is nothing but a Yessir-man.
Firing Maddon after that 12 game losing streak has turned out to be the worst decison. Got spoiled with Scioscia being a main stay for so long and now have no consistent leader. 80-82 here we come
Nah, Maddon shouldn’t have been hired in the first place. His firing was a good thing.
Minasian and his analytics group meddled so much that Joe M. couldn’t succeed. Sure analytics is needed but there was no balance. Joe was doomed under that group.
Perry needs a compliant manager; it wouldn’t have worked with Pujols.
I like Suzuki (catchers do make good mgrs).
Just not sure working with Minasian and without an investment in player development from Arte will lead to much, if any, success.
80-82 would be a phenomenal year for the Angels and Suzuki would win manager of the year award
Angels drafted and developed players much better when Sciosia was manager.
Stoneman & Reagins knew how to build a farm team. Dipoto was a disaster and then Arte cut funding to scouting. Here we are.
Dipoto is a disaster, yet Seattle almost got to the world series…
he was the manager when they won in 2002. Their only World Series. they had a lot of Homegrown players….
At least Perry could have waited until the end of the year to let Maddon go. Bad form. After that they brought in some new players, but too late the clubhouse was shook up, the next manager was an idiot who led them into a fight on the field, inuring several players including Rendon.
Congrats to Kurt, he was a fine MLB player and got a ring. As long as he knows that Arte runs the show, he’s not going to have trouble with his new boss.
And he enjoys being paid minimum wage.
Pros, he’s an Angel fan.
Cons, he’s a special assistant to Minasian.
I wish him well. I’m not the least bit upset with this hire.
I’m not upset with this hiring but not excited either. I’d feel better if Perry Minasian didn’t interfere with managers.
He’s going to be a Yes Man though. And just stay in his lane. And not rock the boat. I dunno, I guess that’s okay for stability and predictability reasons. But sort of uninspiring.
Make Angels Great Again
Ooof
Halos have the best back up catchers in history
Halos.
Were you going to say something about Halos ?
Perfect. Rookie manager for a rookie team. Catchers know how to work with pitchers. Bochy, melvin, , torre, scioscia, etc
Arte Moreno, says it all. Prepare for the 4.5 2026 angels. At least they won 30 more than Colorado. Not a fan of Moreno. Has a bad moustache.
Kurt promises he’ll make the Angels one of California’s top 4 teams by 2028.
Perfectly in line with the “we’re putting together a competitive team” speak from Perry.
Thankyou Mr Moreno for not hiring, can’t run to first pew holes
Perhaps Angels fans should boycott. That’s what the Dodgers faithful did to get rid of McCourt.
Sure they did.
They did. The Dodgers attendance dropped the year before MLB took over the team. After decades of 3+ million fans per year in attendance, it dropped to 2.7 million. They actually had organized protests outside the stadium during the season.
I use to enjoy Dodger games. I stopped watching that year and became a steady Angel fan.
McCourt was actively hurting his team and the health of the sport. No owners have said Arte is doing the same.
I think his greatest sin in the eyes of MLB was negotiating a below market TV deal because he was desperate for cash.
He is still in the parking lot.
“Perhaps Angels fans..should boycott”…His divorce had more to do with selling the Dodgers than did any “fan boycott”.
That fan “boycott” was so successful, we never heard about it until 13 years later, right?
YOU never heard about it. It was in the news when it was happening, you probably just didn’t hear about it outside of LA. You can find local LA stories on it if you look.
“What It was in the news”..I don’t doubt what you say, but I’m on the other side of the country, not West coast LA.
I follow MLB nationally, not locally and I heard much more about McCourt’s divorce and “off field problems”, than I heard about any “fan boycott”.
Not entirely, mlbfan. McCourt the Boston carpetbagger was forcing players to donate to their Dodger dream
Foundation and embezzling the money. He placed his 22-year old son as director of marketing and had his-and-her mansions for he and his wife.
It was noticeable that the fans were vocal and angry, the team had not won a postseason game since 1988 until Lima time 2004.
I hope the MLB finds a way to send Moreno back to AZ.
Arte has his own issues…..bribery scandals, drug scandals, runnning a team in the second biggest market into the ground, etc. I’d love it if the league could find a way to force him to sell. He’s the OC McCourt.
What? That’s dumb
Boycotts never work. Immature temper tantrums don’t either. Same thing.
Budweiser enters the chat…
As much as we would like to boycott games and get Arte out of Dodge, coming to games is still an attractive option. Most giveaways are during the weekends, but still occur during the week, which ensures consistent visitors. Also, ticket prices and parking fees remain affordable compared to that other team up the I-5. Living in So Cal, we have a lot of entertainment options here and in the summer, going to a ballgame with the kiddos, and as an added incentive, getting a giveaway, is not a bad night out. For the average fan, winning and losing is not a big deal. The Angels had their run in the 2000s and it was fun while it lasted, but yeah, this team is a victim of bad mismanagement, but oh well, it’s just a game to us, it’s entertainment.
Watch the angels win it all in 2026. Dana will come up big. Teodosio, rada, will help. Christian Moore will have a huge year. What, put the ball in play, field your spot, and know that heads up ball, with excellent strategy, will get you a wild card spot.
Thanks for the laugh!
You talkin to me
I wasn’t trying to be funny
Glad you got a laugh
In 2026, 86 wins would get them in a wild card spot
Kurt alone, is worth 10 more wins
2026 bullpen will be good from the start
Dana has been garbage as a big leaguer and even in AAA.
Rada is 20 and has zero power. Doubt he contributes much.
Jury is certainly out on Moore.
They finished in the following places in 2025:
Runs scored – 25th
OPS – 23rd
Starting rotation ERA – 28th
Bullpen ERA – 28th
Farm system – 27th (MLB.com)
All of us reasonable Angels fans are well aware the team isn’t getting a wild card berth any time soon.
I’ve been a Halo Hopeful, but I’ve become a Halo Realist. The starting pitching staff is terrible. There are so many holes in the entire lineup I’d prefer swiss cheese. Arte is not going to spend money to make this an actual winning team. He only cares about making a dollar more than he did the year before. This guarantees that they’ll continue the losing record streak.
Field your spot? Moore will certainly defend the spot he is standing on.
Let me guess. You’re a Halo Honk?
does that mean the Giants will hire Barry bonds as their manager so it can be an Angels versus Giants World Series with Barry Bonds somehow involved?
Is Kurt Suzuki set up to succeed or to take the fall?
Arte Moreno just handed the keys to a first-time manager with no pro coaching experience. That’s not a knock on Suzuki it’s a challenge to ownership.
If Moreno won’t open his pocketbook or stay out of Perry Minasian’s way, then this hire is just window dressing. We’ve seen this script before: underfunded rosters, meddling from the top, and managers left holding the bag.
Suzuki deserves a real shot. That means resources, autonomy, and a front office that’s aligned not undermining. Otherwise, this isn’t a fresh start. It’s just another setup.
Arte is the problem. He can hire Sparky Anderson, Bobby Cox, Joe Torre to his coaching staff and it won’t matter if he doesn’t invest in player development and getting out of his own GM’s way.
Who needs player development??? That is what college baseball is for!
It’s entirely window dressing. This hire means nothing.
They need a guy to stand in the dugout during games and do manager stuff.
Kurt can get his feet wet as a manager, and in 2 or 3 years when Arte fires him, he’ll have major league managing under his belt. I think he’ll do a fine job, and hopefully surprise us and be as great as Wash was.
In hindsight, I agree. It would’ve made more sense to just keep Washington for one more season. Then after 2026, a new GM would undoubtedly be brought in and hire a new manager.
It maybe why the Angels didn’t hire Pujols.
As a person, I like Suzuki. I think Suzuki has a better chance of sticking around than a Minasian.
That’s what I saw.
I’m still convinced Moreno is selling the team. I’m still convinced Minasian is gone. Suzuki may get an interview.
I think the only reason Minasian is still here is because Moereno is selling the team.
We are all optimistic in different ways.
It’s an interesting hire. Stephen Vogt has come with Cleveland and has had immediate success, though he inherited a much better roster
Suzuki is already getting groomed for the position. Mostly he is learning how to avoid the elephant in the room (that Moreno is the problem) during interviews. GMPM is throwing simulated press questions at him while yelling “dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge.” Should be fun.
I don’t think any manager is going to make a difference for this organization. But, if we’re going to hire rookie manager who doesn’t have a lot of other choices….then I think Suzuki will be ok. I don’t know much about his inter-personal style, but fourteen years as a respected catcher is a good thing.
“Our resources are amazing. Mr. Moreno is amazing. Just happy to be here.”
Hope to help the ball club.
Good luck to Suzuki and Angels fans!
Welcome to the catcher turned manager club, Kurt!
Catchers as managers always seemed like a potential plus. Just don’t have the catchers talking to him about framing unless they want to learn how to give up on every pitch that misses location slightly.
Love it for Zooks!
Im patiently waiting for Moreno and Monfort to sell the Angels and Rox, respectively. I can handle losing as long as a team is on an upward trajectory, but im not fond of incompetence. Until Moreno and Monfort sell, I’ll stick with the Dbacks, Dodgers, Padres and Giants.
Monfort’s son Walker is now taking a greater front office role. Don’t count on the Monforts selling any time soon.
The so-called experts say that hiring ex-catchers make some of the best managers. What else do the Angels have to lose, give it a try again they hired Mike Scosia ex-Dodger catcher did pretty well for them, so why not.
I think it’s a good hire. An experienced manager is not going to make this team a playoff contender without the team being reworked.
Suzuki has ties to the team and area. He’s a former catcher. Considering the non-competitive state of the team he’s a perfectly acceptable hire.
Hopefully Arte sells after the Skaggs verdict and the team has an actual future.
I am glad it’s Suzuki over Pujols and Hunter. However, nothing matters until Moreno decides to completely rebuild the pitching staff. Teams win and lose based on pitching. Everything else is secondary.
Suzuki will continue to be Ray Montgomery, Phil Nevin, et al. Perry manages the dugout from his exec suite.
So glad the Giants avoided hiring this guy. You can always count on Arte Moreno to do something stupid.
How bad are minor league coaches that they don’t even get a call?
Geez. The reporting went down like that hire was a clown show. Pujols is our guy. Nah. Wants too much. Ok.Let’s get Tori in here. Nah. Wants too much. Alright then. Suzuki it is.
We know Albert Pujols turned the job down. I guess the parking lot attendant did, too.
another ex-A’s catcher getting another managerial job with zero experience.. what could go wrong ? at least he’ll probably get paid more then when he was a player
just glad it isn’t the giants
AMEN
I don’t know how many times Suzuki will hear this in the future, but Congratulations!
This team takes a step back every year. If it takes a small step forward, I’ll be thrilled.
Another catcher….
This will help Logan O’Hoppe be a better catcher. One voice, one vision, fried chicken.
Hiring Suzuki signals a continuation of doing the same thing that’s not working. I was hoping for an entirely new direction with a new GM and new manager.
Hiring a new GM would require time to focus and wasting a year’s worth of salary and then there’s the pending trial.
I am so sorry Angels fans.
Suzuki may well turnout top be a great manager but it’s weird in that it seems hiring a former Angels player was more important than hiring a competent manager, perhaps with more, or any, managerial experience. If I’m a clash in the system, especially minors, I might wonder about my future they there.
KnicksFanCavsFan: “it’s weird in that it seems hiring a former Angels player was more important than hiring a competent manager”
You really think any proven competent manager would take this position?
Good luck, Kurt. I, for one, think you’ll do rather well.
Kurt Suzuki had probably the most clutch homerun that I’ve ever seen next to Lindor’s game 161 homerun to beat the Braves in 2024, for a regular season game. Mets were up by around 8 or 9 runs in the 9th agaisnt the Nationals and they managed to come back vs Paul Sewald, some random lefty that I forgot the name of, and Diaz. The most funny thing was that the Mets recorded only one out the whole inning
I don’t think it matters much who gets hired as GM or manager or any other position with tbe Angels. Asong as Moteno continues to own the team they will be poor to mediocre and miss the playoffs every year
Where Do Angels Fans Draw the Line?
2023 was supposed to be a turning point. Arte Moreno put the team up for sale, and for a brief moment, hope flickered. Then the rug was yanked, dream deferred. The glory days? Long gone. The last decade has been a patch job of journey, men, free agents with no impact while the rest of the league builds empires.
How did we get here?
Arte in his hardhat, playing GM, handing Albert Pujols a bloated contract, publicly hand-picking Anthony Rendon like it was fantasy baseball. No major cable network even carries Angels games anymore. We’re not just off the radar—we’re off the grid.
Have we become the Havana Banana of MLB?
Perry Minasian has drafted some promising young talent, sure. But the free agent signings? Disastrous. It’s like building a Ferrari engine and slapping on bicycle tires.
So how do we get Arte to sell?
Is it dwindling attendance? Is it public pressure? Maybe it’s time for fans to rise up not in anger, but in unity. We love our Angels. We bleed for this team. But right now, it feels like we’re being held hostage by a legacy that refuses to evolve.
Arte, if you won’t build a contender, at least let someone else try.
Arte Moreno put the team up for sale,
========================
I think that was a bluff to try to get concessions out of the county. He changed his mind when the county started organizing a farewell party.
I’m sure Kurt will Make the Angels Great Again with as much success as his dear leader has for the country.
100 wins for the Angels? I doubt it.
The JV team (Angels) is hiring their new manager while the Varsity (Dodgers) goes to the World Series.
The angels had Ohtani for several seasons, but could do nothing, especially after he got injured and had to have Tommy John. then he became a free agent and he went to the other side of town because he could get moohla big bucks.
Yuck. Kurt the schmuck. Poor Halos fans.
Kurt probably offered to do the job for way less than anyone else.
Haven’t been to an angel game for 3-4 years. Just can’t go. Just do not have a feeling to go. R T is brutal. Poor little R T can’t pay for pitching or hitting. R T has lousy mustache issue syndrome. Love you Ron w. Thankyou Ron for the 99 losses. You coughed up,10;of them. How can a mgr not get thrown out of games. Not one.
I hope Kurt will yell and scream., geez.
I love the 4.5 angels. At least they are not the Rockies.
Get Zac gallen
Umpires have much less power. There isn’t that much to scream at anymore.
It’s a sad day in Anaheim. Because Arte wanted to go as cheap as possible, instead of getting a good, qualified manager we have to settle. Not for 2nd best, not for 3rd best, not even for the 4th best option, we are settling for the bottom of the barrel both as a baseball guy and as a person as our manager Sigh.
Do you think I should just leave my 8 season tickets empty all season as a protest? Nah. Then I would miss seeing actual major league teams play against the Angels.
Hey Pads Fan. You are putting a lot of time into the outinleftfield is an Angels fan. Ha ha. How do you think it’s going ? Do you think people are buying it ?
#gotheeeeeeeeeeeem
Previously posed as a Padres fan under the “outinleftfield” branding. And before that it was an Orioles fan.
Hope he does well. But they are the Angels
Over/under 2 years until fired?
Minasian won’t be here next year and a new GM has every right to bring his own guy.
I’m going to say under.
Pujols had the job but they couldn’t come to terms on a contract.. wow. Not sure if that reflects more poorly for the Angels or for Pujols.
Pujols probably wanted much more than he’s worth. He’s never managed or coached in the MLB and going out on a limb here saying he probably wants to be paid like a top dog
You are probably correct. He’s also made so much money during his career he doesn’t ‘need’ to do it, which begs the question why he was interested in the role in the first place.
I would think money wise he and all his descendants are set for life as it is. For him, why manage at all other than to give back to the game?
Interesting
Suzuki might just be the right guy for this particular team.
It’s time the whole Angels organization can be on the same page (From Ownership, GM, and Manager).
Maybe Suzuki is able to make Chicken sh— into chicken soup and get the best out of the team regardless the team that he is dealt.
The Angels are due!
Arte Moreno gift-wrapped Albert Pujols as the next Angels manager
What could’ve gone wrong?
Pujols was already drawing $1M annually from his personal services clause, a perk baked into his original playing contract. Moreno likely saw that as a sufficient baseline You’re already getting paid let’s just shift your duties. But Pujols, stepping into a full-time, managerial role, expected a separate, competitive salary
What followed wasn’t just a salary snag. It could’ve been a clash over personnel, hiring authority, or the broader commitment to fielding a winning team. Pujols wanted to lead. Moreno wanted control. What’s your opinion?
The personal services clause was baked into his player contract. He is under no obligation to do anything to “earn” that money.
But he cannot work for anyone else., either. Maybe Pujols thought he was just grabbing an extra $10M when he signed, or maybe Arte was being clever, or maybe this is just the way it worked.
But suppose Pujols wants to become manager somewhere else? As the Germans might say, Pujols is shackled to a corpse.
I’m not usually a fan of hiring first-time managers, but Suzuki should be a cut above most of them. If you learned your baseball at Cal State Fullerton, you know your stuff. They know how to play fundamental baseball, manufacture runs, put pressure on opposing defenses, and make the most of their talent. Now whether the Angels under Minasian will ever put together a real major league roster, instead of the Salt Lake Bees 2.0, is another matter. If Suzuki ever gets even a decent amount of big league talent, he’ll be a success.
Pretty cool hire, he was a pretty heady player. Another Scioscia?
Move Mike Trout to first base!
Why?
Love Trout, but he’d probably end up getting spiked.
The result? Probably the same anyway.
Just the players get out before the season. Trade Ward to the Reds ASAP
I’d love to see a Yoshi for either Ward or Adell trade. Throw in some money and a less-than-premium prospect?
Great, another guy that will have two losing seasons and then get fired.
But he won’t he got a one year deal lol
Just sell the team Arte. You don’t know what you are doing. You don’t know how to hire good baseball people. You’re too cheap to strengthen the infrastructure of the organization, you greedy, ignorant chump.
I guess u r not a fan of duck head R T
He is 30 years younger than Ron all talk Washington. Wow
Call State Fullerton fan👍
Dude got a 1 year deal. I can’t remember a managerial hire on a 1 year deal. Oh Arte you continue to surprise lol
A 1 yr. deal? Yikes…..what a show of faith Arte. This will end in flames unfortunately. 1 yr is not enough time to turn around a franchise, especially run by Arte. Sounds to me like this is a bridge hire….they are waiting for someone
Quin. They are waiting for anew owner and GM.
Hilarious! Artie Moreno is hilarious. A one-year contract. What does that mean? Nobody plays with a 1-year contract. Nobody not a GM. Not a player, not a manager. This is obviously a one-year. Let’s find somebody to buy the team. Then everybody gets fired hopefully. That’s right. Everybody needs to get fired the ticket taker The maintenance man, the landscape crew parking lot attendants. Most importantly, everybody in the main office needs to go. I don’t care who you are, how long you’ve been there or what you’ve been doing to help the team. It hasn’t worked. Goodbye. Now when that happens maybe the Angels can be competitive until then, last place every year
Kikuchi and Suzuki $endorsement < ohtani $endorsement
Big fan of this hire. Suzuki brings catcher IQ, a ring, and instant rapport with the room—and the one-year deal with options is smart. Now the key: Arte Moreno needs to step back a bit and let Perry & the staff run baseball ops so Kurt can actually build a pitching/defense identity. Fresh voice, clean runway. Hope springs in ’26—Go Halos.